The present invention relates broadly to an apparatus for transporting textile laps to a plurality of combers and, more particularly, to such a lap transporting apparatus utilizing a movable elevated bridge structure equipped with a lap gripping device for carrying textile laps from a lap storage station to the work stations of the combers.
Textile laps comprise a loosely compressed batt of cotton fibers produced by a picker, lapper or other suitable lap preparing machinery and wound about a central tubular supporting core. A conventional textile combing machine, commonly referred to as a comber, is typically equipped with a plurality of work stations each of which has a first position at which a wound lap is supported for unwinding from its core for accomplishment of the combing process and a second position at which a full lap is supported for temporary storage awaiting replacement of the active lap at the first position upon its exhaustion.
Lap transporting apparatus of the aforementioned type are known for delivering fully wound laps to the work stations of a series of combers so that the combing operation can progress on a generally continuous basis. Such transporting apparatus provides a trackway extending along the series of combers at an elevation thereabove with the bridge structure supported on the elevated trackway for traveling movement therealong. A trolley is mounted on the bridge structure for traveling movement along its lengthwise extent transverse to the direction of traveling movement of the bridge structure and a lap gripping mechanism is suspended from the trolley for selective gripping engagement with a fully wound lap for carrying laps to, and depositing laps at, the work stations of the combers.
In such lap transporting apparatus, a suitable control system must be provided for communication between the combers and the assembly of the bridge structure, the trolley and the gripping mechanism to identify the work stations of the combers to which replacement laps must be delivered and to transmit such information to the traveling bridge structure, the trolley and the gripping mechanism to control their respective movements to accomplish gripping, transportation and deposit of replacement laps at the identified work stations. Conventional control systems for accomplishing this purpose are relatively expensive.